Prof. Gershman is a former prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for six years, where was in charge of the office’s prosecution of protests and demonstrations. He teaches Constitutional Law at Pace Law School.

Prof. Gershman on the sweep of Zuccotti Park:

“The police action sweeping the Occupy Wall Street protesters out of Zuccotti Park was expected. So were the confrontation and arrests. The protesters’ right to camp out in the park, when balanced against the governmental interest in preventing health and safety hazards, and allowing other people to use the park, made the sweep inevitable, and probably lawful. It is also likely that the aggressive police action will galvanize the movement to protest in other places and in other ways. But one thing is clear: unless overruled by a court, the city won’t allow the protesters to camp out in the park again.”